St Andrews Honours Scottish TV Presenter JJ Chalmers

On 4 December, as part of its winter graduations, the University of St Andrews awarded Fife-based TV presenter JJ Chalmers with the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) in recognition of his outstanding achievements in sport and broadcasting, his service to his country, and his place as a role model in triumphing over adversity.

Sustaining life-changing injuries in Afghanistan as a royal-marine, Edinburgh-born Chalmers went on to become a medal-winning cyclist at the Invictus Games, before becoming a recognisable face on TV as a sports broadcaster. In 2020, Chalmers was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and this summer presented the BBC’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympics. In addition to sports broadcasting, Chalmers was a presenter in the BBC’s coverage of the funerals of Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth II, alongside the Coronation of King Charles. 

In his laureation address, Vice-Principal (Research, Collections and Innovation) Professor Tom Brown praised Chalmers’ achievements and spoke of his “charm, humour, and real enthusiasm to whatever he is working on.”

Speaking to The Saint, Chalmers described the “surreal” occasion as a “pinch me moment” before reflecting on his sense of pride at being recognised for his career, knowing “that people have been watching from home.” On celebrating the honour, Chalmers spoke of letting the occasion “soak in — it’s all a wee bit surreal.”

Overcoming adversity, Chalmers spoke of his sense of resilience and offered advice to students: “What you need to do is live through failures and losses, and learn from them; they come good in the end and if you are in a difficult circumstance keep going because on the other end of it, you’ll be stronger for it.”

Fellow Scottish sports broadcaster Hazel Irvine was also honoured as a Doctor of Laws in recognition of her career in sports broadcasting, spanning the Olympics, Wimbledon, World Cups, alongside snooker and golf championships. 

A St Andrews alumnus, Irvine described her deep connection to St Andrews: “This place is a crossroads that connects me with so many events and so many people throughout the last 50-something years and now to be rewarded for pursuing my passion, sport, beyond my university days is as surprising to me as it is joyous and that’s why this incredible honour is so profoundly meaningful to me today."

Winter graduations saw 1,000 graduates from 74 countries gaining undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Younger Hall.

Photos from University of St Andrews